


The Mirror Maze

by rimaryn



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Confusion, Cute, Doubt, Fluff, M/M, Self-Doubt, changlix, jisung being a blockhead, minsung - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-28
Updated: 2018-09-28
Packaged: 2019-07-18 19:44:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16125422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rimaryn/pseuds/rimaryn
Summary: In which Minho and Jisung are the best of friends. Yes, best friends. Or so they think. But what if one day, something suddenly changed? If their friendship became a mirror maze where they could see each and every facet of the other’s reflection, separated only by walls of glass?





	The Mirror Maze

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! Thanks for clicking on this work. Sorry Minsung will have to wait a couple chapters it’s gonna go slow- have to get some ground before starting, amirite? Well hope you enjoy this chapter anyhow :P
> 
> Also sorry for the super short writing lol

The lights were blinding, his heart was thumping, and his mind was blank. The only thing Minho could hear besides the roaring of blood in his ears was the muted sound of Felix finishing his rap verse. JYP’s gaze slowly slid over onto him and the sight of the producer sitting in his chair with an unreadable expression brought waves of panic into his thoughts. It was finally his turn. The moment he had dreaded most today.  
Then suddenly, through the haze, he felt a small hand slip into his loose one. Jisung. The warmth immediately comforted him and dispelled some of the panic. As he started his verse, that small hand silently squeezed his to the beat, steadying his rapping. Then it was over.

**Almost.**

\-----o-----  
“I’m really sorry, but….”

_Thump._

“I hope you can understand that there’s no choice but to eliminate him.”

_Thump._

_Thump._

“The eliminated member is…….”

_Thump._  
_Thump._  
_Thump._

“-..... Minho-ya.”

Thud. He looked up at his name, only to see the producer looking at him with a pitying gaze.

_‘Minho-ya.’_

_‘Minho-ya.’_

_‘Minho-ya….’_

The words resounded in his brain, deafening his ears. Realizations crashed through his mind, breaking apart the only world he had known. 

The nights and days spent awake and soaked with sweat had been for nothing.

The past year of training with the boys had been amounted to nothing.

He would not see those 8 other boys in the morning, at practices, at shoots.

He would not debut.

Not with them.

Reality had finally come knocking on his door to splash the icy truth onto him. Minho wouldn’t debut with Stray Kids. He had fallen behind. They would debut as eight. Without him.

He felt disconnected from his body as he bowed to JYP, who had risen and walked toward him.

“It’s not because you did badly.” JYP tried to reassure him. “You only had a little training, but you can just work harder, right?”

Even though he mumbled a small yes and forced a smile onto his face, he still knew that that wasn’t the whole truth. He had failed because he did badly, because he hadn’t worked hard enough.

The red light of the cameras starting disappearing into the dark, and the staff began dispersing. The recording was over, but the shock that hung over the studio had not gone away. The small sniffles that filled the room pierced Minho’s ears, and he could tell some of the members were looking at him. Then, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Jisung, again. It was comforting, but Minho could see the sorrow in Jisung’s eyes. 

As if a spell had been broken, the rest of the members started crowding around Minho. Some of them were crying, heads bowed. That’s when he knew he couldn’t show his own shock and pain to them. He had already failed them as a member- an ex-member, and he couldn’t, no, wouldn’t hurt them even more. So he smiled. It was unnatural, and everyone could see through it, but it was the only thing he could do for them. 

He smiled even as he hugged Jeongin, their cute, little maknae.

He smiled even as the tears started dripping down his face, even though he could taste the saltiness.

He smiled even as Chan tried to lighten the mood, as the leader started crying on his shoulder.

His smile wavered as soon as Chan couldn’t see his face, but then he smiled again as he let go of him.

He smiled.

He kept smiling.

Because that was the only thing he could do…..

_For them._

**Author's Note:**

> Congrats! You made it to the end of my terrible writing! Seriously though, thanks for taking the time to read this! Anyways if anyone would be interested in a co write on this story drop a sample of your writing in the comments and I’ll check it out! Also I would love some feedback on my writing- sorry that you had to suffer through both my writing and Minho’s elimination again through my writing


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